Lunch Break
by Latergatr
Summary: Tag to Episode Origin in Season 9. It just wasn't a good enough goodbye.


**Lunch Break**

"I'm hungry."

"Me too."

Daniel rose and followed Major General Jack O'Neill out into the hallway. Seeing Jack standing there at his desk produced that strange but also familiar sense of déjà vu. It had actually taken him a moment to realize that Jack's presence was odd. The wake up call was the dress uniform, with two stars on each epaulette, that reminded him O'Neill was out-of-place. Daniel still couldn't get used to seeing Jack wearing anything other than BDU's with eagles.

They remained silent on their trek toward the mess hall, each lost in his own thoughts. Daniel recalled a conversation with Sam, the day a year and a half ago when Jack had gathered them together to tell them he had been offered a promotion and command of the SGC. Afterward, Jack and Teal'c had left Daniel's lab together, going to the gym to spar, and Sam and he had remained behind.

"You know, Daniel," she had said thoughtfully, "this is really a bigger opportunity for the Colonel than it seems on the surface - they are actually offering him a double promotion."

"How do you mean?"

"Think about it - command of the SGC is a two-star slot. If Colonel O'Neill takes this job, he will be a one-star general in a two-star slot. Essentially, he does a good job, and no doubt he will, he will get a second star for sure. Once officers make General grade, if they continue to advance, the promotions can come quickly. They can get another star in two years or so."

And she had been right, no surprise there, Daniel pondered, except that Jack had been promoted to Major General after only one year. Deservedly so - he had been in command during the defeat of not only the Goa'uld system lords and but also the Replicators. He had formulated the tactical plan for the defense of Atlantis that had saved the colony, and the technology therein, when the leadership on Atlantis had seen no other course of action but to abandon the city. And although Jack had profusely praised his subordinates and credited the warfighters on Earth and Atlantis for the victories, everyone, up to the Joint Chiefs and the President himself, knew that the greater part of the victory was due to Jack's leadership.

And now, history seemed to be repeating itself. He had followed General Hammond again, first as his Vice, now as "the man" himself, head of Homeworld Security, a two-star in a three-star slot. Yes, he thought, no doubt Jack is going to go all the way to the top. I wonder if he even admits it to himself. In retrospect, the promotion to Brigadier General had been humbling to Jack, Daniel thought, as if Jack considered himself somehow unworthy. But Daniel had known, and Jack had proven, whether he admitted it or not, that there had been nobody better to run this place, and now nobody better to command the defense of this planet.

Arriving at the mess hall, they found it largely empty. It was already well past normal time for lunch; Daniel had been too caught up in his work to notice the time. They moved quickly along the serving line, Jack being greeted by the servers with a "Good to see you again, General."

Finally they settled in a table near the rear of the hall. As they ate, their conversation turned to small talk. How was Jack's new place, was Daniel still in contact with Sarah, how was Cassie? At one point Jack let slip to Daniel that he was seeing someone. But Daniel was unable divine much else about her from him, except that "she has a dog."

After a while, their conversation dwindled. Jack absently poked at something on his plate with a fork.

"Daniel... ya know... I do miss all of you, too."

Daniel was so surprised by Jack's sudden admission that he almost dropped his own fork.

"And I am going to get back here from time to time. This is still part of my command. Just because I sold my house..."

"Oh, I understand, I understand..."

"I mean, it is expensive to live in Washington, even on a general's salary..."

"Uh, huh..."

"So please don't think you won't be seeing me..."

"It's okay. I wouldn't even have been here either, except..."

"Yeah, the Daedalus...," he jabbed hard at his food and his hand stilled, his eyes meeting Daniel's. "I didn't come here just on business, you know, but officially..."

"Ye-e-s, officially..."

"Dammit, Daniel, I am glad you missed Daedalus." Jack abruptly quit playing with his fork and dropped it, his attention focused at Daniel. "We need you here, at the SGC, too. And I need you to come to Washington from time to time."

Daniel was caught by surprise. "Me?"

"Yes, you. The SGC is inevitably going to become a more international operation, and there is going to be more international and inter-cultural politicking going on, including inter-planetary politicking. And you know I am so not good at that. You would be the logical choice tobe incharge indiplomatic situations. I want you to think about that. For now, it will be good for you to stay here, help Landry during the initial phase of his new command, help Mitchell get SG1 going again. But I want you to come to the Pentagon from time to time. I'm planning eventually to make it a full-time post."

Jack paused, his gaze intent. "A high-placed, important post, Daniel. If I can do this," he waved his hands upward, "You can do a lot more, too. You're smarter than I am. Think of how many treaties you have already negotiated. There will be a lot more down the line. Nobody understands more about alien, off-world cultures than you. And who else can negotiate with so many countries, and so many planets, in their own languages?"

Daniel didn't reply, just stared down at his plate, a doubtful expression on his face.

"Just think about it, will you?" Jack tossed the fork back onto his plate and, suddenly rising, picked up his tray, dropping it off on the way out of the hall. Daniel remained seated for a moment, then jumped from his seat and hurried to catch up with Jack. He almost bumped into Jack when the man suddenly stopped walking and turned to face him.

"So?" Jack smiled.

Daniel looked at his friend, a grin spreading on his face. "They have museums in Washington, don't they?"

Jack, still smiling, continued on down the corridor. "Oh, yeah, lots and lots. Lots and lots of really nice, big museums. And hockey!"

"Hockey?"

"And baseball! Don't forget that there's baseball in DC again."

"Ri-i-ight..."

"Did I mention museums"

Arriving at the door to Daniel's lab, Jack gave Daniel a quick slap on the shoulder in parting.

"Before I track down Mitchell, I'm going to go see T. I know he's in a hurry to get back to Dakara. You know, Daniel," he added thoughtfully, "it's good that at least one of us has fulfilled his dream."

"I know," he replied sadly, thinking of Sha're and Skaara.

"Do you suppose...? We may need an ambassador from Dakara one day..."

"Yes, I do suppose," Daniel regarded Jack with interested, as pieces to the puzzle started to come together in his mind. "And I suppose you've figured out a way to get Sam to Washington, too?"

"Oh, no, no, no! Now that she's Commander of all Doohickey Research, she would kill me, slowly, if I drug her away from them. But," Jack shoved his hands in his pockets and bounced on the balls of his feet, "of course, someone does have to come to Washington to ask for funding to experiment on all those doohickeys, and it seems the commander would be the appropriate person. And then of course, if there would be a really cool doohickey, someone would have to come brief the Joint Chiefs, and there is a person very experienced at explaining doohickeys to people way less smart than herself..."

"Jack?"

"Daniel?"

"You've got this all figured out. You're going to get us all together again."

Jack just grunted in reply, a self-satisfied smirk on his face. Then, he looked down at his feet, and became serious once again. Tilting his head toward the door, he said, "Well, I gotta..."

"Yeah. Well, see you around, I guess?"

Jack nodded, turned to leave, took a step - but then paused, taking a long look at Daniel over his shoulder.

"You going to be alright?"

Daniel grinned at the familiar question. "Yeah. How about you?"

"Yeah, I think I will," Jack smiled, and walked away.

End


End file.
